Title: Complicated
Summary: --Sequel to "I Don't Want To Be Alone"-- Buffy's living in New York, sharing an apartment with her best friend from the foster home, Willow. Xander and Nikki live in the same building, a floor up from the two. All four attend NYU and life is starting to make sense again. Until someone returns from their past and shakes things up.
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone from BtVS or AtVS or anyone who belongs to someone else. You know who they are. I do own people such as Nikki.
.:a/n:. Just for the record, I've never been to New York or the college. I know nothing about it. I don't know even know why I chose this place. But just bear with me here.
~~**~~
Buffy and Willow were talking about the events of last night as they walked up the stairs to NYU.
"It was so cute when the waitress brought over the plate, took of the lid and there sat the ring. I could feel the waterworks," Willow said, putting her hand to her chest and pretending to cry.
"I know. When someone proposes to me, I want it to be sweet like that," Buffy said. "But I doubt that day will never come."
"Because you haven't faced the fact that Spike isn't coming back."
"That's not true," she said, defensively. "I may not be completely over Spike, but that doesn't mean that I'm blind to reality. I know he's not coming back. It was just . . . You couldn't understand."
"I know," Willow said. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."
"Its fine Will. Its not your fault I'm a complete loser."
"Buffy, you're not a loser."
"I know a lot of people who will disagree with you on that," she laughed as they turned into their first class of the day. The two took their seats a few rows up from the front and pulled their books out of their bags.
"Check him out," Willow said, nodding to the handsome brunette who stood at the front of the large classroom. "Think he's some kind of helper?"
"You mean a TA? Yeah, he's not bad."
"Not bad? I have eyes, I can see yours glued to him."
"Willow! They are not glued. I'm just, admiring his . . . His . . ."
"Greatly sculptured body?" Willow offered.
"You could put it like that. Anyway, if he's a TA, he'd have no interest in moi. Those types are serious about work. They don't like to have fun."
"How do you know that?"
"Common knowledge," Buffy stated. "Besides, I just said I liked his body, that doesn't mean I'm in love."
"Not yet," Willow said. "But you never know what can happen."
~~**~~
Class was over and Buffy and Willow were outside and heading towards their car when Buffy stopped and slapped herself on the forehead.
"Damnit! I forgot my book in class. Would you mind waiting while I ran back in?" she asked.
"No, go ahead. I'll just . . . Wait here," Willow said, sitting down on a nearby bench.
Buffy nodded before jogging into the school. When she reached the class, she stopped in front of the doorway before going inside. The professor wasn't there, so she didn't have to explain. She could just grab her book and quickly run back out to Willow.
As she walked further inside, she noticed that she wasn't alone in the room. Up by her seat, stood the TA that her and Willow had spoken about earlier. He was holding her book and looked up when he heard her enter.
"I take it this is yours," he said, walking down the stairs.
"Um, yeah. Thanks," Buffy said, taking it from him.
"Buffy Summers, right?" he asked and she nodded. "I'm Noah. Noah Matthews."
"Nice to meet you Noah."
"Good book you have there," he said, nodding to her hand.
"Yeah, it is. I-I haven't nearly finished it yet, but it keeps me busy."
He looked to the ground, then back up at her. "Maybe I'm out of line here. Seeing as we don't know too much of each other. But I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go out to dinner with me tonight? Or if not dinner, something else. A movie, perhaps."
'Oh my god Buffy, he's asking you out!' she thought. "Oh. Um . . ."
"You have a boyfriend, don't you? I knew it. How could someone as beautiful as you be single?"
"No, that's not it. Its just, I had some plans with my friend. But I'm sure I could work around them," Buffy said.
"Great," he said, a smile suddenly appearing on his face.
"Um, here," she said, digging through her bag for a pen. She found one and took his hand in hers. She wrote her number and below it her name. "Call me." She turned around quickly walked out of the room. 'I can't believe I just did that.'
~~**~~
Willow, Buffy and Nikki were all sitting comfortably in the living room of the girls' apartment pigging out on junk food and talking about Buffy's new love interest. Nikki was glad to hear that Buffy was getting back out in the world of dating. It was about time she moved on.
"You told him you had plans with a friend?" Willow asked as she ate a spoonful of ice cream.
"Well I was hesitating. And I didn't want it to look like I wasn't interested. It's been a long while since I've been on a date. With anyone I actually liked anyway. Its new."
"A good new, or a bad new?" Nikki asked.
"Definitely a good new," Buffy said, standing. "Speaking of. I have to go change into my clothes for my date."
"What time's he coming?" Willow asked.
"When he called, he said he'd be here around eight," Buffy said, smiling.
"Its good to see you happy about a guy again Buffy," Nikki said. "Keep it up or else I'll be forced to kick your butt."
Buffy just laughed at her friend before heading into her room.
~~**~~
The doorbell rang at exactly eight o clock and Buffy took one last look in the mirror. She didn't want to be too overdressed, or too underdressed. She wanted to look perfect. With the help of Willow, she picked out a nice black skirt that ended just above her knees and a light blue halter-top. Her blonde hair was curled and fell down just past her shoulders.
"Buffy, better hurry up!" Willow called from the living room. "Wouldn't want you to get all dressed up and have no place to go!"
"I'm coming!" she yelled back, rushing into the living room as she put on a pair of black shoes. "Do I look okay?"
"Okay? Girl you look fine," Nikki said.
"Thanks Nik. I'll be home no later than two."
"You don't have a curfew, stay out all night," Willow said. "We don't need you here."
"I love you too," Buffy said, opening the door. "Noah, hi."
"You look . . . Wow."
"Is it proper for tonight?" Buffy asked, stepping outside. She closed the door behind her and spun around in a circle.
"Anything you wore would have been proper."
"You look great too," she said, commenting on his black dressy but yet party pants and black shirt, which hung loosely from his chest.
"Stop it, you're making me blush," he said with a girly attitude.
Buffy laughed. "So, where are we headed?"
"Have you ever heard of the night club called Seven?"
"I've heard of. But never been to."
"Well then that's perfect," he said, offering his arm. "Shall we?"
~~**~~
The music could be heard from blocks away and Buffy thought her ears would go deaf as she stepped inside the club. She looked over at Noah who was smiling back at her. He led her over to a booth where the music wasn't quite as loud.
"Would you like something to drink?" he asked.
"Five minutes into the date and already, you're trying to get me drunk?"
"What can I say?" Noah said. "I like to get right into it."
"I'm hoping that was a joke," Buffy said, a smile on her lips. "But no, I'm fine, thanks."
"Okay. So, why don't you tell me a bit about yourself?" Noah asked.
"Lets see . . . There's not much to tell really. I spent a few years in a foster home, which was definitely something I will never forget. I met some close friends there, then when we got out of there, we moved here."
"We?"
"My friends. Willow, Nikki and Xander. They're more like family though. You're turn now," Buffy said. She wasn't ready to share her whole life story with Noah yet. She didn't even know him.
"My parents died when I was young, and I moved to New York with my uncle. I grew up pretty much on the streets, and had some bad times, like substance abuse and arrests, but I grew up and now I'm where I am."
"I'm sorry, about your parents," she said.
He just nodded and waited a minute before asking, "Hey, do you want to dance?"
"Yeah, I'd love to," she said, standing. She took his hand and followed him over to the dance floor. 'Maybe this dating thing isn't as bad as I thought. Maybe Noah will be my Xander.'
Summary: --Sequel to "I Don't Want To Be Alone"-- Buffy's living in New York, sharing an apartment with her best friend from the foster home, Willow. Xander and Nikki live in the same building, a floor up from the two. All four attend NYU and life is starting to make sense again. Until someone returns from their past and shakes things up.
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone from BtVS or AtVS or anyone who belongs to someone else. You know who they are. I do own people such as Nikki.
.:a/n:. Just for the record, I've never been to New York or the college. I know nothing about it. I don't know even know why I chose this place. But just bear with me here.
~~**~~
Buffy and Willow were talking about the events of last night as they walked up the stairs to NYU.
"It was so cute when the waitress brought over the plate, took of the lid and there sat the ring. I could feel the waterworks," Willow said, putting her hand to her chest and pretending to cry.
"I know. When someone proposes to me, I want it to be sweet like that," Buffy said. "But I doubt that day will never come."
"Because you haven't faced the fact that Spike isn't coming back."
"That's not true," she said, defensively. "I may not be completely over Spike, but that doesn't mean that I'm blind to reality. I know he's not coming back. It was just . . . You couldn't understand."
"I know," Willow said. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."
"Its fine Will. Its not your fault I'm a complete loser."
"Buffy, you're not a loser."
"I know a lot of people who will disagree with you on that," she laughed as they turned into their first class of the day. The two took their seats a few rows up from the front and pulled their books out of their bags.
"Check him out," Willow said, nodding to the handsome brunette who stood at the front of the large classroom. "Think he's some kind of helper?"
"You mean a TA? Yeah, he's not bad."
"Not bad? I have eyes, I can see yours glued to him."
"Willow! They are not glued. I'm just, admiring his . . . His . . ."
"Greatly sculptured body?" Willow offered.
"You could put it like that. Anyway, if he's a TA, he'd have no interest in moi. Those types are serious about work. They don't like to have fun."
"How do you know that?"
"Common knowledge," Buffy stated. "Besides, I just said I liked his body, that doesn't mean I'm in love."
"Not yet," Willow said. "But you never know what can happen."
~~**~~
Class was over and Buffy and Willow were outside and heading towards their car when Buffy stopped and slapped herself on the forehead.
"Damnit! I forgot my book in class. Would you mind waiting while I ran back in?" she asked.
"No, go ahead. I'll just . . . Wait here," Willow said, sitting down on a nearby bench.
Buffy nodded before jogging into the school. When she reached the class, she stopped in front of the doorway before going inside. The professor wasn't there, so she didn't have to explain. She could just grab her book and quickly run back out to Willow.
As she walked further inside, she noticed that she wasn't alone in the room. Up by her seat, stood the TA that her and Willow had spoken about earlier. He was holding her book and looked up when he heard her enter.
"I take it this is yours," he said, walking down the stairs.
"Um, yeah. Thanks," Buffy said, taking it from him.
"Buffy Summers, right?" he asked and she nodded. "I'm Noah. Noah Matthews."
"Nice to meet you Noah."
"Good book you have there," he said, nodding to her hand.
"Yeah, it is. I-I haven't nearly finished it yet, but it keeps me busy."
He looked to the ground, then back up at her. "Maybe I'm out of line here. Seeing as we don't know too much of each other. But I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go out to dinner with me tonight? Or if not dinner, something else. A movie, perhaps."
'Oh my god Buffy, he's asking you out!' she thought. "Oh. Um . . ."
"You have a boyfriend, don't you? I knew it. How could someone as beautiful as you be single?"
"No, that's not it. Its just, I had some plans with my friend. But I'm sure I could work around them," Buffy said.
"Great," he said, a smile suddenly appearing on his face.
"Um, here," she said, digging through her bag for a pen. She found one and took his hand in hers. She wrote her number and below it her name. "Call me." She turned around quickly walked out of the room. 'I can't believe I just did that.'
~~**~~
Willow, Buffy and Nikki were all sitting comfortably in the living room of the girls' apartment pigging out on junk food and talking about Buffy's new love interest. Nikki was glad to hear that Buffy was getting back out in the world of dating. It was about time she moved on.
"You told him you had plans with a friend?" Willow asked as she ate a spoonful of ice cream.
"Well I was hesitating. And I didn't want it to look like I wasn't interested. It's been a long while since I've been on a date. With anyone I actually liked anyway. Its new."
"A good new, or a bad new?" Nikki asked.
"Definitely a good new," Buffy said, standing. "Speaking of. I have to go change into my clothes for my date."
"What time's he coming?" Willow asked.
"When he called, he said he'd be here around eight," Buffy said, smiling.
"Its good to see you happy about a guy again Buffy," Nikki said. "Keep it up or else I'll be forced to kick your butt."
Buffy just laughed at her friend before heading into her room.
~~**~~
The doorbell rang at exactly eight o clock and Buffy took one last look in the mirror. She didn't want to be too overdressed, or too underdressed. She wanted to look perfect. With the help of Willow, she picked out a nice black skirt that ended just above her knees and a light blue halter-top. Her blonde hair was curled and fell down just past her shoulders.
"Buffy, better hurry up!" Willow called from the living room. "Wouldn't want you to get all dressed up and have no place to go!"
"I'm coming!" she yelled back, rushing into the living room as she put on a pair of black shoes. "Do I look okay?"
"Okay? Girl you look fine," Nikki said.
"Thanks Nik. I'll be home no later than two."
"You don't have a curfew, stay out all night," Willow said. "We don't need you here."
"I love you too," Buffy said, opening the door. "Noah, hi."
"You look . . . Wow."
"Is it proper for tonight?" Buffy asked, stepping outside. She closed the door behind her and spun around in a circle.
"Anything you wore would have been proper."
"You look great too," she said, commenting on his black dressy but yet party pants and black shirt, which hung loosely from his chest.
"Stop it, you're making me blush," he said with a girly attitude.
Buffy laughed. "So, where are we headed?"
"Have you ever heard of the night club called Seven?"
"I've heard of. But never been to."
"Well then that's perfect," he said, offering his arm. "Shall we?"
~~**~~
The music could be heard from blocks away and Buffy thought her ears would go deaf as she stepped inside the club. She looked over at Noah who was smiling back at her. He led her over to a booth where the music wasn't quite as loud.
"Would you like something to drink?" he asked.
"Five minutes into the date and already, you're trying to get me drunk?"
"What can I say?" Noah said. "I like to get right into it."
"I'm hoping that was a joke," Buffy said, a smile on her lips. "But no, I'm fine, thanks."
"Okay. So, why don't you tell me a bit about yourself?" Noah asked.
"Lets see . . . There's not much to tell really. I spent a few years in a foster home, which was definitely something I will never forget. I met some close friends there, then when we got out of there, we moved here."
"We?"
"My friends. Willow, Nikki and Xander. They're more like family though. You're turn now," Buffy said. She wasn't ready to share her whole life story with Noah yet. She didn't even know him.
"My parents died when I was young, and I moved to New York with my uncle. I grew up pretty much on the streets, and had some bad times, like substance abuse and arrests, but I grew up and now I'm where I am."
"I'm sorry, about your parents," she said.
He just nodded and waited a minute before asking, "Hey, do you want to dance?"
"Yeah, I'd love to," she said, standing. She took his hand and followed him over to the dance floor. 'Maybe this dating thing isn't as bad as I thought. Maybe Noah will be my Xander.'